What does nanotechnology have to offer for lithium-ion batteries materials?

The need for renewable energy source for cheap, portable electronic devices like electric vehicles has promoted an attractive research and innovation in batteries, especially in lithium-ion batteries. Ever since the success commercialization of its application in Sony in 1990s, this kind of battery has proved its efficiency and expense in market as a result of years of research and discoveries, however being limited for various kinds of reasons. With the combination of nanotechnology, modifications have been made to improve the drawbacks of the batteries from the angle of materials. Despite the fact that many attempts of changes have not been well-rounded developed, the discoveries are of great help to future research. In this article, recent research about application of nanotechnology in the development of lithium-ion batteries will be discussed. Starting from the cathode materials to anode materials, the enhancements brought by nanoparticles in typical lithium-ion battery materials will be reviewed, along with their targets and working principles.